Volunteer opportunities

Send listing information to tricity@dailyherald.com.

bull; Waubonsee Community College is seeking volunteers to help low- to moderate-income families file tax returns and claim valuable federal and state tax benefits.

Waubonsee participates in the Internal Revenue Service's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program and is the only Aurora-area VITA site that is also an official partner of the Tax Counseling Project. The project, sponsored by Chicago's Center for Economic Progress, is the nation's largest free statewide tax preparation service for working families and individuals.

Volunteers in Waubonsee's VITA program will receive eight hours of IRS-approved training in January and then assist clients with tax preparation at sessions scheduled from February to April. Volunteers typically sign up for three or four sessions throughout the tax season and work three-hour shifts.

Area high school students interested in business or accounting careers, or those looking to earn service hours, are also encouraged to volunteer or enroll in the college course.

No prior tax experience is necessary to volunteer. Volunteers are assisted at all times by experienced tax preparers, faculty and accountants.

The upcoming 2008 tax season will mark Waubonsee's fourth year as a VITA site. Last year, the college's students and volunteers completed more than 600 tax returns, securing almost $900,000 in refunds for working individuals and families in the community.

To sign up to become a Waubonsee VITA volunteer, visit www.centerforprogress.org. For more information, call the college's VITA line at (630) 466-7900, ext. 2992, or e-mail VITA@waubonsee.edu.

bull; The Salvation Army is in need of 1 or 2 computer trainers to teach beginning computer students. The classes are 1 1/2 to 2 hours each, with 5 students per class which meet once a week for 6 weeks. This is a volunteer position, no teaching certificate or degree is necessary, just experience and knowledge of the computer. If interested or have questions please contact Cathy Winters at The Salvation Army at (630)377-2769 x210. The Salvation Army is at 1710 S. 7th Ave, St. Charles. bull; RSVP: The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program

Volunteers can give a few hours per month, or serve up to six hours a day. Agencies are currently looking for volunteers to deliver meals to homebound seniors, act as docents or tour guides, tutor children, serve as friendly visitors, drive seniors to medical appointments and work in hospitals and resale shops.

For more information, call Debbie Danitz, director at (800) 339-3200.

bull; Kane County Forest Preserve District: helps preserve, protect and restore the natural resources of Kane County.

The forest preserve district seeks volunteers for restoration projects, to do educational programs at Tekakwitha Woods, cultural preservation and interpretation at Fabyan Forest Preserve, and to serve as docents at the Fabyan Windmill.

For more information, contact volunteer coordinator Julia Bourque at (847) 741-9798 or at bourquej.kcfpd@earthlink.net.

bull; Blazing Prairie Stars a therapy farm, 47W635 Beith Road in Maple Park, is looking for volunteers who have experience with horses and enjoy working with children.

Blazing Prairie Stars provides horse-assisted therapy and other programs in the natural environment for children who have disabilities. Volunteers are needed to serve as horse leaders and sidewalkers during therapy sessions. In addition, volunteers can help with grooming, tacking and other barn chores.

Call Jennifer or Debi at (630) 365-5550 to register for training.

bull; Sugar Grove Public Library has jobs for volunteers 14 and older who can offer time once or as an ongoing donation. The library offers new volunteer opportunities during the summer. Volunteer reading pals read for at least 20 minutes one-on-one with a child or listen to a child read. Volunteers can read books from the library or their own collection or listen to a child read from their own book. Reading pals can offer a once-a-week or even once-a-month commitment.

Volunteers also can adopt a shelf. Volunteers must visit the library at least three times in a month. At each visit, shelf owners will keep their shelf orderly and pull any misplaced items for library staff to shelve.

All volunteers must apply and are screened. To volunteer, call the library at (630) 466-4686.

bull; Preservation Partners of the Fox Valley need volunteer docents for the Fabyan Villa Museum and Japanese Garden in the Fabyan Forest Preserve on Route 31 just north of Fabyan Parkway in Geneva.

The Fabyan Villa was redesigned by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907 for George and Nelle Fabyan, and houses artifacts and collections of the Fabyans. The Japanese Garden was designed and created around 1910 for the Fabyans.

Volunteers give guided tours, answer questions on self-guided days, and assist with children's programs. No experience is necessary, and training is provided. Volunteers are asked to commit to giving one afternoon each month through the summer season. Weekday and weekend hours are available.

For more information, or to register for the information session, please call (630)377-6424 or e-mail fabyanvilla@ppfv.org.

bull; The Northern Illinois Food Bank on Industrial Drive in St. Charles is looking for volunteers age 16 and older. Volunteers are needed the most from 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Thursday and from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Evening shifts from 6 to 9 p.m. and from 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays are also available.

Other weekday opportunities include being a part of the Food Rescue Team, which involves traveling to local grocery stores to pick up perishable foods and delivering them directly to shelters and soup kitchens the same day. Drivers and helpers are needed but no special license is required.

For more information, call (630) 443-6910 or visit www.northernilfoodbank.org.

bull; Aunt Martha's Youth Service Center is seeking caring adults, single or married, in homes or apartments, to become foster parents for abused and neglected children to age 18. Aunt Martha's offers training, ongoing support and partnership in a family focused team approach to foster care. Staff members consult weekly with parents. Foster parents can be trained and licensed within six to eight months. Aunt Martha's is sponsoring a monthly foster parent support group. Specialized foster parents receive 12 paid days a year for respite care and working parents are reimbursed for day care expenses. Foster parents are needed for children of all ages and backgrounds, particularly for teens and sibling groups. For details call Erin Pearlman at (847) 622-0010 ext. 11.

bull; The Batavia American Cancer Society office is looking for cancer survivors to help newly diagnosed patients in its Support for Recovery program. Volunteers offer comfort and support to patients either face-to-face in the home or by telephone.

Survivors of all cancer types are needed and must be at least one year post treatment. Training is provided. For more information, call Corie Rectenwald at (630) 879-9009 or e-mail Corie.Rectenwald@cancer.org.

Volunteers are needed in Kane County to help provide services to cancer patients, plan fundraising events such as Relay for Life, educate the public on cancer prevention and early detection and provide office and clerical assistance.

For details, call the American Cancer Society at (630) 879-9009. For cancer-related information or more background on the American Cancer Society, call (800) ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org.

bull; Fox Valley Volunteer Hospice training is available to provide emotional support, companionship or respite care for individuals dealing with life-threatening illness or loss.

Those interested must complete a volunteer application. For an application and appointment, call Mary O'Malley at (630) 232-2233, ext. 213.

bull; CASA Kane County is a nonprofit organization that trains court appointed special advocate volunteers to represent the interests of abused and neglected children in court. Last year, the program's 200 volunteers served 467 children throughout Kane County.

Evening training hours are now available for those interested in becoming volunteer court-appointed special advocates for abused and neglected children through CASA Kane County.

Meetings are at the Kane County Courthouse, 100 S. Third St., Suite 460, Geneva. For more information, call (630) 444-3110. For more information about the CASA program, visit www.casakanecounty.org.

bull; Community Technology Center volunteers are needed to assist adults learning basic computer skills at the new Community Technology Center at the Aurora Community Center, 501 College Ave., Aurora.

Volunteers need a basic knowledge of computers and must be at least 18 years old. Training will be provided.

Volunteers will assist the instructor with the free basic computer classes and during open computer lab hours.

Flexible volunteer hours are available. For more information, contact Waubonsee's Career Services Center at (630) 466-7900, ext. 2368, or e-mail careerservices@waubonsee.edu.

bull; Adult Literacy Project: Volunteers are needed to tutor adults in reading, writing and English communication. Training and materials will be provided at no cost.

Volunteers who complete the training will work with adults one-on-one or in a classroom environment.

For more information, call the Adult Literacy Project at (630) 801-7900, ext. 4107.

bull; Literacy Volunteers Fox Valley help people learn English.

To register for training, call (630) 584-2811 or visit www.lvfv.org.

bull; Geneva Township Senior Services Committee needs volunteers to oversee senior center operations and meets at 7 p.m. the second Wednesday of the month at the township office, 400 Wheeler Drive in Wheeler Park off Route 31 north of Route 38 in Geneva.

For details, contact Sheri McMurray at (630) 232-3604 or smcmur-ray@genevatownship.com.

bull; Internet Miniature Pinscher Rescue's mission is to improve with humane care the lives of homeless and abandoned miniature pinschers.

Homes are needed to foster dogs until a permanent adoptive home is found.

For information, contact Linda Sobieski at samartnik@comast.net or Michelle Leonard at crazyaboutminpins@comcast.net.

bull; Homes for Endangered and Lost Pets, HELP, is seeking volunteers to care for dogs or puppies in their homes until the animals are adopted. HELP provides pet food, supplies and veterinary care for foster animals. Training is provided for foster home volunteers.

HELP is an all-volunteer animal rescue organization that obtains medical care and shelter for stray and abandoned cats and dogs until they are adopted. H.E.L.P. is not an animal shelter. Call the HELP Line at (630) 879-8500 for information.

bull; Rover Rescue, the dog adoption agency, is seeking volunteer foster homes to care for puppies and dogs. Because of overcrowding at some animal shelters, many animals may be euthanized to make room for more strays brought in each day. Rover Rescue only has enough foster homes to take in a few dogs at a time. The organization is looking for temporary emergency foster homes as well as long-term arrangements.

To volunteer as a foster home or for information on fostering, call Rover Rescue at (630) 897-7454.

bull; Aurora Historical Society needs volunteers for light maintenance and upkeep and to serve as tour guides at Tanner House. Volunteers are also needed to catalog artifacts from the collections and materials in the research archives, help with exhibit preparation and construction and to serve as guides at the downtown exhibit center. For details call (630) 906-0650.

bull; The Geneva History Center, 113 S. Third St., is seeking volunteers to greet visitors, assist with programs and tours, host museum special events and help in the museum store. Volunteers are also needed for cataloging materials and basic computer entry. Hours and days will vary. For details, call (630) 232-4951 or e-mail ghc@genevahistorycenter.org.

bull; The Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 7-1, Division 9, a civilian arm of the Coast Guard, is seeking volunteers for a variety of duties. The flotilla is part of the Department of Homeland Security. For details, call public affairs officer Art Andre at (630) 845-9612 or e-mail ArtKay2000@cs.com.

Marklund needs volunteers to work in the residential centers and at resale shops. For details on the Geneva and Winfield locations, call Cathy Nikrandt at (630) 593-5468. For Bloomingdale and Roselle, call Pat Peterman at (630) 529-2871. Call (630) 594-1489 for details on the resale shop.

bull; Suicide Prevention volunteers are needed to help with the crisis line. Training is provided.

For information, call Holly Cherry at (630) 482-9699, ext. 227.

bull; Crisis Line of the Fox Valley: The Crisis Line of the Fox Valley is in need of volunteers for the crisis line. For information, call Cheryl Brown at (630) 966-4304.

bull; Glenwood School for Boys and Girls is seeking volunteers for help in tutoring, sponsoring clubs, computer supervision in student labs, coordinating special events and fund-raisers, and instruction and supervision in the new Kidshop, where carpentry and other skills are taught.

The Rathje Campus is in Campton Township. Founded in 1887, Glenwood School helps disadvantaged children overcome family and community struggles and gain the confidence to achieve their full potential.

For details, contact Sherry at (847) 464-8225 or smorel@glenwoodschool.org.

The St. Charles Police Department is recruiting St. Charles residents to become McGruff House volunteers who can make emergency phone calls for children in trouble and watch out for children as they go to and from school.

A McGruff House is a safe house for children to go when they find themselves in emergencies and frightening situations, such as being bullied, followed or hurt.

The McGruff house is marked with a sign having the familiar McGruff crime fighting dog dressed in a trench coat.

Any household with a resident 18 or older can volunteer. The applicant must complete an application and pass a law enforcement background check. Minor traffic violations will not disqualify you.

Applications are available at the St. Charles Police Department front desk or can be downloaded from the city's Web site atwww.stcharlesil.gov/forms/index.html.

Once the application has been completed and signed, it can be dropped off or mailed to the St. Charles Police Department in care of Officer Jeffrey Finley at 2 State Ave., St. Charles, 60174.

For questions regarding the application process contact, Officer Finley at (630) 443-3730 or e-mail jfinley@stcharlesil.gov.